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Springboks bring in 5 new faces and include Le Roux in latest squad
Despite on Thursday saying that Willie le Roux would not be available for the conclusion of the Rugby Championship, the Wasps full-back has been named in the latest Springboks squad.
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The Springboks said that both Le Roux and Francois Louw (Bath) had been returned to their Premiership clubs and “will not feature in the two home Tests”. But it appears they’ve swiftly backtracked on this regarding Le Roux. Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young had said in the build-up to their match with Sale that the club would not stand in Le Roux’s way if he was called up.
Le Roux is now set to miss Wasps’ Gallagher Premiership game at Newcastle Falcons on September 28th, followed by their home match against Gloucester Rugby on October 6th. If selected against the All Blacks it would give the full-back just six days to recover in time for their Champions Cup opener at defending champions Leinster in Dublin on October 12th.
Saracens prop Vincent Koch has been called up by the Springboks, as has uncapped back Ruhan Nel, who plays for DHL Western Province in the Currie Cup, Sbu Nkosi (wing), Lionel Mapoe (centre) and Ivan van Zyl (scrumhalf).
They will join the 17 players already in camp in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. The Springboks face the Wallabies next Saturday, 29 September in the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. They conclude the tournamemnt with a return fixture against the All Blacks at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria a week later.
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Nkosi has recovered from the ankle injury that stopped him from playing in any Rugby Championship matches so far this year.
Front rower Koch is currently starring for Saracens in England. Meanwhile, Trevor Nyakane (prop, Vodacom Blue Bulls) will continue with his conditioning programme under the supervision of the Springbok conditioning and medical staff over the next two weeks.
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Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, said he was excited to welcome back players such as Van Zyl, Mapoe and Nkosi, and to work with Nel and Koch.
“Ruhan comes with a lot of international experience with the Blitzboks and he has performed consistently well for DHL WP, so it will be good to see how he operates in the Bok environment,” said Erasmus.
“Trevor and Sbu have been part of the squad earlier in the year and it’s good to welcome them back, while the players who featured for their provinces in recent weeks all got some valuable game time.”
The Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship home leg against the Wallabies and All Blacks (in alphabetical order – name and surname, position, franchise/club, Test caps and points):
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Forwards (16):
Schalk Brits (Hooker, Unattached), 11, 5 – 1t
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Lock/ loose forward, DHL Western Province), 40, 20 – 4t
Eben Etzebeth (Lock, DHL Western Province), 71, 15 – 3t
Steven Kitshoff (Prop, DHL Western Province), 31, 5 – 1t
Vincent Koch (Prop, Saracens, England), 9, 0
Siya Kolisi (Captain, Flanker, DHL Western Province), 35, 25 – 5t
Wilco Louw (Prop, DHL Western Province), 10, 0
Frans Malherbe (Prop, DHL Western Province), 23, 0
Malcolm Marx (Hooker, Emirates Lions), 18, 20 – 4t
Bongi Mbonambi (Hooker, DHL Western Province), 20, 10 – 2t
Franco Mostert (Lock, Xerox Golden Lions), 24, 5 – 1t
Tendai Mtawarira (Prop, Cell C Sharks), 105, 10 – 2t
Sikhumbuzo Notshe (No 8, DHL Western Province), 4, 0
RG Snyman (Lock, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 6, 0
Marco van Staden (Flanker, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 1, 0
Warren Whiteley (No 8, Xerox Golden Lions), 21, 15 – 3t
*Note: Trevor Nyakane (Prop, Vodacom Blue Bulls) will continue with his conditioning programme under the supervision of the Springbok conditioning staff
Backs (14):
Faf de Klerk (Scrumhalf, Sale Sharks, England), 18, 10 – 2t
Aphiwe Dyantyi (Wing, Xerox Golden Lions), 7, 25 – 5t
André Esterhuizen (Centre, Cell C Sharks), 4, 0
Elton Jantjies (Flyhalf, Xerox Golden Lions), 28, 223 – 2t, 42c, 43p
Willie le Roux (Fullback, Wasps, England), 48, 60 – 12t
Cheslin Kolbe (Utility back, Toulouse, France), 2, 5 – 1t
Jesse Kriel (Centre, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 34, 45 – 9t
Lionel Mapoe (Centre, Xerox Golden Lions), 14, 10 – 2t
Ruhan Nel (Centre, DHL Western Province), uncapped
Sibusiso Nkosi (Wing, Cell C Sharks), 3, 10 – 2t
Embrose Papier (Scrumhalf, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 3, 0
Handré Pollard (Flyhalf, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 33, 265 – 3t, 50c, 47p, 3d
Ivan van Zyl (Scrumhalf, Vodacom Blue Bulls), 3, 0
Damian Willemse (Flyhalf, DHL Western Province), 2, 0
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments